News

Barristers are reminded of the Authorisation to Practise process for the renewal of practising certificates in 2013. During the process, barristers will be asked to: 

The ‘Fitness to Practise Rules’, as set out in Annex O to the Code of Conduct, prescribe the manner in which any issue concerning a barrister’s fitness (or unfitness) to practise should be managed. They are designed to achieve high level public protection from barristers who, for predominantly reasons of health, are not fit to provide legal services to the public to the standard expected. 

All barristers should have returned their CPD Record Card with details of their 2012 CPD by 31 January 2013. 

Profession
Chambers could be put on the spot this month, as the Bar Standards Board begins its ‘progress check’ on implementation of the new equality and diversity rules. 

Courts/judiciary
Judgments must be made clearer and more concise – or public confidence in the justice system could be undermined, the President of the Supreme Court has warned. 

In 2013 the Bar Council will be launching a new exchange scheme in partnership with the Korean Bar Association and will welcome the second cohort of young Chinese lawyers under the Bar Council China Training Scheme. 

Profession
Aspiring barristers are promised a very modern experience for the next pupillage application season. 

Judiciary/Diversity
It will take 50 years to secure a fully diverse judiciary on merit alone, warned Lord Sumption at the Bar Council 12th Annual Law Reform Lecture (15 November 2012). 

Consultation
New proposals to give greater focus to the psychological impact – and technological nature – of sex offences on victims are being considered by the Sentencing Council. 

The BSB is in the process of introducing a change management programme, which centres around the Regulatory Standards Framework (RSF). The five strands of the RSF respond to the requirements of the Legal Services Board (LSB) to create a more risk and evidence-based approach to regulation.